Reversible window construction



w. B. Tl DWELL REVERSIBLE WINDOW CONSTRUCTION June 21,1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1947 FIG. 1.

FIG. 9.

FIGS

INVENTOR. 4 W6. 7M "3 M19024 June 21, 1949. w. B. TlDWELL nEv'E'Rs'iBLEwmnow CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1-947 INVENTOR.

Patented June 21, 1949 2,474,126 REVERSIBLE WINDOW CONSTRUCTION WendellB. Tidwell, Norfolk, Va., assignor to Window-Frame Corporation porationof Virginia Norfolk, Va., a cor- Application June 11, 1947, Serial No.753,986

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in the construction ofwindows of the type used principally for residences and ofiices, and isdirected particularly to a reversible window construction which isuseful for both indirect ventilating and convenient cleaning.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved windowconstruction applicable to I either wood or metal fabrication in which asash carrying frame is supported for bodily movement out of a fixedwindow frame forming a part of the building construction.

A more specific object of the invention is to be found in the provisionfor unobstructed movement of a conventional pair of vertically slidingsash in any position of the movable assembly.

A further and important object of the invention resides in the provisionof a novel window construction in which the sash carrying frame can bemoved to a position of spaced relation from the fixed window frame whenindirect ventilation is desirable or necessary.

An additional principal object of the invention is to provide a windowconstruction in which the sash may 'be quickly and easily reversed forsafe cleaning or repair within the buildng. Specific features ofimprovement incidental to this object include provision for reversal ofthe window sash without removal of any of the parts of the windowconstruction or disconnection of conventional sash balances.

Further specific objects of this invention reside in the provision forthe conventional use of window screening and storm windows, adequatesealing of the movable window sash assembly in the fixed window frame,and preservation of an architecturally acceptable window appearance bothfrom within and without.

A further specific object is to provide a window construction in whichthe sash may be reversed for convenience and safe cleaning withoutcausing undue leakage of outside air into the building.

These and other features of improvement contributing to completesatisfaction in use and economy of manufacture will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned inside elevation of the assembled windowconstruction in normal relation;

Fig. 2 is a. vertical section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1 showing theassembled window construction to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal enlarged section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1and showing the window components in a different operative relation;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation partly in section of the window constructionin the operative relation of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 shows an inside elevational view of the assembled window withcertain parts removed for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section to reduced scale taken on line VIP-VII ofFig. 4 with certain parts in a diiferent adjusted position;

Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view to an enlarged scale taken online VIIIVI[I of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary inside elevational view partially sectionedshowing a bottom portion of the movable window frame assembly.

As seen best in Figs. 3 and 4, the window construction of this inventioncomprises a window wall frame It] to be fixed in a corresponding openingin a house of other building, and a bodily movable and reversible windowsash assembly l2 connected with the wall frame 10 by upper and lowerlinkages I l and I6. The relation of the frame It] to the opening in thehouse or other building is shown by dotted Wall lines WL.

The fixed window frame I0 comprises an upper horizontal member or lintelI8 and a lower horizontal member or sill 20 secured at their ends to apair of vertical uprights or framing members 22 and 24. A rectangularouter facing frame 26 covers the outer edges of wall frame It) andoverlaps the adjacent margins of the building structure in which it ismounted. Adjacent its lower portion and immediately above the sill 20,the facing frame 26 is provided with a drain ledge 28 extending the fullwidth as shown in Fig. 3. The drain ledge or strip 28 is formed with aconvex inner edge 29, extending throughout the widthwise openingprovided by said frame, for sealing purposes which will be more fullydescribed. An inner mold strip 30 of rectangular cross section extendsinteriorly around the other three side edges of the facing frame 26 inthe manner shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 7 to serve as a guide and seal forthe movable sash assembly I2.

With reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it will be observed that the windowsash assembly l2 which is mounted for bodily movement includes upper andlower framed sashes 32 and 34 guided for vertical movement by parallelside jambs 36, 36 having respective side facing members 31 securedthereto and extending laterally to cover the inner edges of the members22 and 24 of the fixed wall frame ill. The jambs 36 are connected attheir upper ends to an overhead lintel 38 and at their lower ends to asill member 39 of special shape. The sill member 39 is formed to providea central inwardly inclined portion 40 terminating in a concave edge 4!formed and arranged for complemental engagement with the convex inneredge 29 of the drain ledge 28 as shown best in Fig. 2. The size andslope of the inclined or wedge portion 40 is such as to fi1l snugly thewedge-shaped opening of the facing frame 26 adjacent the sill edge 29.Theremainingcinner portions of the sill 39 adjacent-the respective endsof the wedge portion 49 will engage and abut the corresponding portionsorthe insideof the outer frame 28 as indicated in Figs. 3 and 7.

Figs. 2 and 8 best show the manner in-which 1 the overhead lintel 38 andthe side jambs 36 engage the adjacent side of the inner; mold strip 39.whenthe window sash assembly. is received. in=.the frame). Thesash.32.;and 34are of conventional construction andarrangement forslid-- ing between a vertical parting strip 42 and inner.

and. outer-stopstrips 44.2;aand .46. disposedas shown in Fig. 8. Aconventional ledge member 4111s secured to the inner marginal portion ofthe sill w39 soas to ,provide:further guiding and. abutment for thelower.sash-;34;The side facing members 31, 3l.extend..betweenand .abutthe inward projections. of. overhead. lintel 38. and the sill member 39.

Figs. 1 and-4 illustratev-theimanner in which conventionalformsofsashloalance maybe associated with the sash 32 and 34. In the preferred.embodiment. these. sash. balances. comprise weights 48; 48 arrangedonoppositesides of each sash and connected:witlrrespective cords 59xtending over. pulleys 52;;52 tocengagelrespectively with the balancedsashes; .321: and 34;

Thedetails, of. the uppenandlower sash link-- ages. 14 and; i6. will..be:.understood .from a con siderationof Fig. .3. The linkage. has apivot pin connection 54 .witlra hingeplate:56= located at its ,inner.end and. securedito the=upper: horizontal framing member 8 :by.;means-such as a plurality of screw threadedif asteners fl 58,-. Theframing member [8. is prov-idedtwith' a recess 60 at -its inner rightend,.formed andarranged to-so receive, the, linkage. .l 4 in itscollapsed or folded position. At titsouter endthe linkage I4 has-.asimilar pivot. pin. connection Elwith a hinge plate- 64'lsecured -.-by.,screwithreadedtfasteners 66,- B6- toithe central portionof the. inner:face of a pivot- 5o ally mounted. upper. trim B8;..'I'he. uppertrim 68is mounted for pivotingonthetsashrframelintel 38 and a correspondingpivotally mountedlower trim IO-is carried on the undersidepfthesashframe sil139, the pivotal axes being central,,and aligned. c

vertically.

Further. details of ,the pivotal; association of thetrimmembers-SB andldwiththe sash frame are shown in Fig. 9 which illustrates the mount ingof trimlil, .it being understood ,that them-135 verted mounting of theupper. trim 691s the same. A headed pivotppin 'H is threadedly securedin the trim l0 and extendsjloosely through a securing and bearing plate14" which is inset in the underface of the sill 39 "and secured in placeby 70* countersunk screws 16516: The sill member 39 is also recessedatldto-provide clearance for rotation-of the-headedpin 'IZ-With-thelower-trim- 10. Pivot pin 12 issecured-againstrotation in' trim 10. andturns loosely inthe bearing plate"-'l4'.-

As the construction and arrangement of the linkage i6 is similar exceptfor its location on the bottom and at the opposite side of the sashassembly 12, it will suffice to note that an inner pivot pin connectionjoins the linkage to a hinge plate 56, an outer pivot pin connection 82is associated with hinge plate 54, and the upper inner. edge portion ofthe framing sill 29 is recessed at 84 (Fig. 4)-to receive the linkage.Each separate linkage means, M or (6, is of a length sufficient forreversing of the sash assembly 12 in its inner pivoting position.

The upper linkage 44 comprises a long link 86 pivotally connected to ashort link 88 disposed adjacent the-trim 68.-- A leaf spring 90 issecured to one side of the long link 86 and formed and arranged toextend over the connection between the two links and an adjacent edge ofthe short link- 88--to provide a yielding stop against straightening ofthe toggle connection of the linkage and folding of the linkage-in theopposite direction from thatishown inFigs. 3 and,5. The manner in whichthe spring 90:;cooperates with the links. 86;.and .Sdwhen the bodilymovable window sash assemblyis ,completelywithdrawn fromthe fixed frameIt is clearly shown in- Fig. ,3.

Figs. 2 and 5 show..thepreferred manner of holding or looking themovable-sash assembly l2, withinthe fixed frame; lilfor. use in aconvene .tionalmanner. For this purpose, individual bolts 92'.are.arranged to extendoutwardly through the overhead lintel 38 and the..sill39;,respectively, forv threaded .engagement.;with, nut vvmembers 94countersunk and. retained in. the upper framing v, member 18; and thelowerframingmember 20 of the fixed vframe 10.1: Each bolt, 92; isprovided with a butterfiyheadilfia which is countersunk in the innerfaceof the overheadlintel-38or the sill39 asthe case maybe when the threadedends of-the bolts :are tightened intothe nuts 94. The head .95 of thelower bolt. 9.231s covered bythe bot-. tom of the sash at when thelatteris in a closed position,. andthe head 96:.ofthe corresponding upper.bolt 927.comes between the parting. and stop strips whereit will.be.-.inconspiouous.a It will be, appreciatedthat these boitsare readilyaccessible, fromatherinside .ofithe window- .and that, they, cannot. betampered .with, or released when the upperiandllowe-r sash...are closed.andlocked in. the usualimanner. Fig-=5 shows the manner in which thebolts 92 are arranged to pass through the sash linkages. when.thellatter. are. in closed position.

In. order .to secure and steadyithe -bodily movable window sashassembly. 12in its spaced posi-. tionavithini the house.OIqOthEI'a-blllldil'lg .(Fig. 4)., detachablestrutmeans-in theform ofmetal gatet hooks 98, 98 may be pivotally connected [to the. inner.sides .of the verticaltframing members 22 and 2t adjacent the bottomvandengaged witheyes 99;99securedto. the inside faces of the verticalfacingmembers- 3i of-the movable sash frame. The-fixed framing members 22 and24 also oarryretaining pins lilil for holding the gatehooks-98- invertical position when not in: use, as. illustrated-in Fig. 7.

The'usefulness andversatility of the windowconstruction of thisinvention-will-appear-more fully'irom thefollowingdescription of itsoperation and use.--- When-the movable Window sash assembly {2 issecured within the fixed frame ID as shown in Fig. -2, theindividualsashes 32- and 34-m'ay be slid-up and down; i-n-the usual manner. 1 Themovable assembly l2=is unsecured by-loosen-- ing andwithdrawing-theupperbolt '92-*by means of the inwardly exposed head 96, and the lower bolt92 may be removed in the same manner after the lower sash 34 has beenraised sufficiently to provide access to the bolt head 96. Thisunsecurin is quickly and readily accomplished from the inside of thebuilding with which the window is associated. A straight inward pull onthe window sash assembly l2 will move it bodily out of the fixed frameIt and unfold the upper and lower linkages l4 and [6 which suspend itfrom the fixed frame Hi. This position of operation is shown in Fig. 3after the hooks 98 have been connected with the eyes 99 on the inside ofthe facing members 31 of the movable sash frame. In this positionindirect ventilation of the interior of the building is provided aroundthe whole inside periphery of the fixed frame It. It will beparticularly observed that no part of the window construction requiredadjusting or moving in this operation, except for separation of thesecuring bolts 92. The sash weights 48 and cords 50 are now exposed forconvenient adjustment and repair, although conveniently removable boxingin sides can be provided if desired.

When the hooks 98 are unfastened the vertically aligned central, pivotalconnections provided by pins 12, 12 permit the window sash assembly I 2to be rotated through a half turn or 180 degrees from the position shownin Fig. 3. This turning places the side facing members 31 adjacent theinner edges of the upright framing members '22 and 24 against which theymay be pushed in order to close the opening of frame Ill while theinsides of the sash 32 and 34 are being washed, repaired or painted. Thepivotally mounted upper and lower trims 63 and Hi to which the pivotpins l2, l2 and the linkages l4 and it are connected will remain facingin the same direction in order to accommodate this half turning of theremainder of the window sash assembly and inward movement with thelinkages to seal the upper and lower edges of the opening defined on theinner side of the fixed frame H).

In addition to the complete sealing provided by the inner mold strip 30and interfitting of the wedge-shaped sill portion 40 with the drainledge 28 of frame l9, weatherstrips may be added around the outside edgeof side jamb 36 and the window asembly lintel 38.

It will thus be seen that the objects of this invention have beenattained by providing an attractive window construction having a windowsash assembly which may be moved inwardly for purposes of indirectventilation and reversed for convenient and safe access to the outersides of the window sash without appreciable leakage of air into theroom during the operation. These objects have been accomplished withoutmaterially increasin the cost of the window construction or materialdeparture from conventional features, and without requiring theseparation of any of the window parts during operation.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described indetail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variouschanges can be made in details of construction and arrangement of partswithout departing from the principles of the invention and the scope ofthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as novel and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A reversible window construction comprising a frame adapted to befixed in a window opening of a building; a window assembly with twovertically movable sashes and having lintel, sill and side jambs fittingwithin said frame in sliding relation; and separate linkage meanspivotally connected to said frame at respective inner portions and withsaid lintel and sill respectively at points on a common central verticalaxis, said separate linkage means each being of a length to accommodatebodily movement of the window sash assembly out of said frame androtation about said vertical axis to a reversed position.

2. The combination of claim 2 including separable strut means secured toan inside part of the window construction for maintaining the windowsash assembly in spaced parallel relation to the inner face of saidframe.

3. A reversible window construction comprising a frame adapted to befixed in a window opening of a building; a window assembly with twovertically movable sashes and having lintel, sill and side jambs fittingwithin said frame in sliding relation; and separate linkage meanspivotally connected to said frame at respective inner portions and withsaid lintel and. sill respectively at points on a common centralvertical axis, said separate linkage means each being of a length toaccommodate bodily movement of the window sash assembly out of saidframe and rotation about said vertical axis to a reversed position; andremovable locking means extending from the bottom portion of said frameand through said sill for holding the window sash assembly within theframe, said locking means being covered by the innermost sash in itsclosed position.

4. A reversible window construction comprising a frame adapted to befixed in a window opening of a building; a window sash assembly havinglintel, sill and side jambs fitted within said frame; separate linkagemeans pivotally connected to said frame at opposite inner portions andwith said lintel and sill respectively at points on a common centralvertical axis, said separate linkage means each being of a length toaccommodate bodily movement of the window sash assembly out of saidframe and rotation about said vertical axis to a reversed position;separable strut means secured to an inside part of the windowconstruction for maintaining the window sash assembly in spaced parallelrelation to the inner face of said frame; and removable locking meansextending from the bottom portion of said frame and through said sillfor holding the window sash assembly within the frame.

5. A reversible window construction comprising a frame adapted to befixed in a window opening of a building; a bodily movable window sashassembly having lintel, sill and side jambs fitted within one side ofsaid frame in sliding relation; a first horizontal trim member pivotallyconnected to the center of the top of the lintel for relative rotationabout a vertical axis; linkage pivotally connected by one end to theinside of the frame and having a pivotal, supporting connection with theinner face of the first trim member; a second horizontal trim memberpivotally connected to the center of the bottom of the sill for relativerotation about the same vertical axis; and linkage pivotally connectedto the inside of the frame by one end and having a pivotal, supportingconnection with the inner face of the second trim member, said linkagesbeing connected at opposite sides of the frame.

V 6. A reversible window construction-comprising a rectangular framehav-ing upper, lower and upright framing members adapted to be fixed ina window opening of abuildi-ng'and arranged to cover the wall portionsdefining said opening; a bodily movable window assembly having lintel,sill and side jambs fitting within said frame in sliding relation, theportion of said frame extending about the opening thereof being providedwith-stripping engaging and sealing the respectively adjacent edges ofthe lintel, side jambs and sill when the window assembly is in itsinnermost position within said frame; a first horizontal trim memberpivotally connected with the center of said lintel fOr relative rotationabout a vertical axis and'disposed above said lintel for covering theadjacent portion of the upper framingmember; a second horizontal trimmember pivotally connected with the center of said sill for relativerotation about the same vertical axis and disposed belowsaid sill forcovering the adjacent portion of the lower framing member; and ahorizontally extendible linkage for each of said trim members pivotallyconnected by one end to the inside of said frame and having a pivotal,supporting connection with the inner face of the respective trim member.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which said sill is formed to provide aninner wedge portion and said frame is formed with a wedge-shaped openinto receive the inner wedge portion of the sill when said drain ledge andsill are in engagement.

8. A reversible window construction comprising a rectangular framehaving upper, lower and upright framing members adapted to be fixed in awindow opening of a building and having outwardly extending portions forcovering the wall portions defining said opening; a bodily movablewindow assembly with two balanced 8 vertically movable sashes and havinglintel, sill and side jambs fitting within said frame in slidingrelation, the portion of said frame extending about the opening thereofbeing provided with stripping engaging and sealing the inner sides ofthe lintel and side jambs, and with a strip member complementallyengaging and sealing the adjacent edge of the sill, when the Windowassembly is in its innermost position within said frame; a firsthorizontal trim member pivotally connected with the center of saidlintel for relative rotation about a vertical axis and disposed abovesaid lintel for covering the adjacent portion of the upper framingmember; a second horizontal trim member pivotally connected with thecenter of said sill for relative rotation about the same vertical axisand disposed below said sill for covering the adjacent portion of thelower framing member; a horizontally extendible linkage for each of saidtrim members pivotally connected by one end to the inside of said frameand having a pivotal, supporting connection with the inner face of therespective trim member; strut means secured to the inside of thesaidframe and connectible with said window assembly for maintaining saidwindow assembly in spaced parallel relation to the inner face of saidframe when said linkages are extended; and a removable bolt meanspassing through said lintel and into said lower framing member forholding the window sash assembly within the frame in sealing engagementtherewith.

\VENDELL B. TIDWELL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Fennessy Mar. 4, 1930Number

